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I just got back from a walk around the block, specifically to listen for migrating Greater White-fronted Geese. They were streaming overhead, flock after flock, non-stop.

Which brings us to today’s radar loops. The RTX loop is very interesting. Shortly after sunset there was a small but noticeable flight out of the area for about an hour or so, and then — nothing of note. That is until around 2:30 AM (PDST) and BOOM! The sky is just filled with returns up to the 30 dBZ level. I suspect a majority being Greater White-fronted Geese.

I also threw in the Gray’s Harbor (LGX) loop because this is the largest sustained flight i’ve seen this season from there.

So, i said i would put up a migration update the rest of this season if anything extraordinary came up. While the RTX (Portland) radar was a solid green (heavy migration) doughnut last night, take a look at what’s going on in Gray’s Harbor!

Right around 09:00 UTC (02:00 AM PDT) the returns start to go into the yellow range. That is EXTREME! This only happens one or two times a season, if at all. So, if you want to see tens of thousands, and maybe hundreds of thousands, of shore birds today — head on over, it will probably be quite the show.

Base Reflectivity – LGX

Also, i have updated the migrant watch list. Using eBird data i added the first reported date for those little fluff balls that are on the watch list — except for those that also winter here like Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Only new migrant reported that i saw listed was Purple Martin on the southern Oregon coast.

But tonight is one of those teachable moments on the interaction of the weather and migration. So we’ll look at the conditions at 850 mb heights — note the stream lines and the ridge in the west and the trough in the east. Then check out the static image of the national radar composite. (The full loop can be viewed over at Paul’s archive: here)

The Pacific Flyway from the Mexican border to the Canadian border is solid blue with birds. Everywhere else? Central and Mississippi Flyways — nada. Atlantic Flyway? — just a tiny bit on the SE coast ahead of the advancing cold front.

There isn’t any new migrant reports so this has to be staging waterfowl. I am still puzzled about the density of birds headed up the spine of the Cascades. Perhaps they use the Columbia Gorge to get to the east side?

Anyway, since it was a nice night to take wing and it looks like the next couple of days, maybe not so much, i put in all three PNW radar loops in today’s gallery. RTX is Scappoose, LGX is Gray’s Harbor, and ATX is Seattle.

Some rather unstable weather, WNW winds, it’s late in the season …. and still there is a sea of feathers overhead. Well, maybe just a puddle, but impressive none the less.

As the high pressure ridge builds in behind our recent low we can expect the winds to shift to a more northerly component, but the skies should clear. So it will depend on the strength of the winds tomorrow night to determine the magnitude of the last covered flight of the season. I’m hoping the winds are light and the sky is filled with the remnants of the feathered travelers. The past few nights i have regularly heard the nocturnal flight calls of Swainson’s Thrush – it’s comforting, and brings a bit of joy to my world.

Before we take a look at the loops: “Message Date: May 28 2014 15:26:44 KRTX MAY HAVE PERIODIC DATA LOSS TODAY FROM 28/16Z THROUGH 29/02Z DUE TO AN AWIP S UPGRADE AT WFO PORTLAND.”

I have no idea what that means and i don’t really see any problems in the loop, but some more discerning eye might so, there you have it.

Less than ideal conditions, but nothing extreme. A light westerly wind and a few rain cells to dodge – that’s about it. So the laggards continue to lay a line north. Densities are dropping as we are on the last legs of the journey.

Pacific Northwest Radar: (Click on the links below to open the .gif files in a new window)

Winds are light and out of the west — no big deal. Migrants continue to flow north and are now looking to fill in the remaining nesting sites. “FOS” is a term of the past on the listserves. In eastern Oregon a number of expected vagrants are taking up bandwidth as birders flock to Malheur NWR as surely as Buffleheads fly to Manitoba.

This will be the last week for updates this season — unless something mega turns up in the region.

Pacific Northwest Radar: (Click on the links below to open the .gif files in a new window)

Migration in the region last night was a bit reduced from yesterday. It could be the north winds were slightly stronger and it could be we are running out of birds. Probably a little of both. You can see the intensity dropping across the country. With a second report of Nighthawks it’s pretty much what you would expect.

Next migration update is planned for Tuesday 27 May. I’m taking off for a long weekend.

Pacific Northwest Radar: (Click on the links below to open the .gif files in a new window)